[Aussie Frontier]

Has anyone opened their rear diff to do any work. I just scored a complete rear diff from Sydney for $51 off ebay. Going to swap the LSD centre out of that diff into my truck. Being a 4x2 mine has an open centre so going to convert it to LSD and retain the 4x2 gear set .
Is there anything special bout our diffs?I realise I will need to check all the clearances for the gears etc and the diff I just scored only has 40k on it so should be fine for bearings etc
700KM round trip from my place in Canberra to Sydney and return. 7 Hours for the trip and 70lt of fuel so not shabby at all.

 

[ants_oz]

First question Paul, before you do anything else - what's the spline count on the axles? The centres might not be interchangeable without changing axles. Stranger things have happened...

Might be worth doing that piece of research before getting underway.

Let's assume however that spline count is all fine. Prep work - you will need some parts - this is just off the top of my head mate, and it's early so bear with me Since you will need to pull axles to do the swap, it's good practice to do axle seals and depending on the miles on your rig, its probably a good idea to do bearings too. If you have time to spare with your rig up on stands, take the old axle bearings out to CBC or somewhere like that and they should just be able to match them - no need for genuine items. Don't have the manual handy - are there any flange gaskets on the outside ends on the axle tubes? What about cover gasket? Is your diff centre cover finned alloy? If not you might like to chase one down as I understand they were used to help diffuse heat from the centres, however not sure whether they were fitted to limited slip centres or all centres. Not sure what else mate. But naturally you are more than welcome to any assistance that I can provide if I can be of any use. Best to get in quick though - we're putting the house on the market in a few weeks, and as soon as it sells we're moving to Tassie. Damn, that is gonna be awesome!

 

[Aussie Frontier]

Hi Ants
long time no chat
well as far as Ican work out there only things different between an open centre diff and an LSD diff is the centre itself.Axles are same housing same and so on.
In the manual is says to get new bolts to hold the ring gear to the centre so theres one thing I will get.
The diff I bought is meant to have 40k on it and mine in the truck has under 60k on it.
If this was a 9 inch it would be easy beans.But will be finding out all about this diff when I pull the lsd unit apart.
There is no gasket for the hat its a sealant only seal.in theory the axles should be straight out and back in with no issues but then no knowing what they are like when I pull them.
I wonder what the guys do when they put in a locker?

So why the move down south?

 

[ants_oz]

Mate, best way is it put it up on stands, whip the centre out and see what it looks like I reckon. Compare the two and see what they look like. Go from there. That'd be my approach anyway.

Just thought "time for a change". Canberra is a top place - great jobs, great schools for the young bloke, great hunting and fishing within cooee...but a change of scenery is always nice and Tassie is such a beautiful place. We head down there several times a year anyway, so we thought why not make it permanent?

 

[Aussie Frontier]

Hey Ants
yeah just dont wanna pull the hat on the one in the truck just yet as will have to reseal it etc etc etc
The funny thing in the manuals is it never says anything bout spline counts etc
I did have a brain fart tho. I could ring Hume Off Road and ask Ritchie if he knows or even ARB and ask them if there is different part numbers for a open center replacement locker.
Weird part is they say change all seals and bearings etc and if it was a high mileage truck then yeah but mine isnt yet.
I used to do all my own work on the falcons etc both the 9inch and the smaller and we used to pull axles all the time and we only replaced bearings and seals when they were worn

 

[ants_oz]

Do ARB even do a locker for the 2wd models mate? I'd honestly be surprised if they do since the limslip centres were standard on all the 4wd models if I recall correctly. But yeah - worth a phone call for sure.

It's just one of those stupid things - you know how it is these days - likely as not that some beancounter somewhere in car factory land made the decision that they could save 10 cents per car by using a slightly different set of axles or something on the 2wd models (if they also used an open diff centre), and stuff the consequences of after sales support etc in small markets like Australia...

It's just so hard to know what the truth is without access to a parts manual.

 

[mike]

Witch Navara have an LSD? Do both diff's have the same gear ratio?

 

[ants_oz]

In Australia, all 4wd Navaras have an LSD rear. All 2wd are open centre. Can't say about other markets though mate.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

Ok did a little digging today
ARB doesnt list anything but the Spanish 10 bolt diff vs the Thai 12 bolt diff
Can only find that the M226 diff has 32 spline axles
noone actually lists 4x2 gear for anything so am surmising( big word for me ) that they are same. I still have to call nissan and compare part numbers for axles .

Did speak with the guys from Hume Off Road and they said should be a very straight forward change with the hardest part being the swapping of the gears.
Called another workshop and they wanted pretty much double that so am thinking Hume is gunna get it
other than that should be a 2 hour job plus oil and sealant for the hat.
Speaking of the hat going to paint it matt black and polish the edges of the fins. In theory should help with cooling being matt black and I get the blingange factor with the polished edges .Will swap out all the bolts for SS mushroom head allen head bolts .

 

[dubie2003]

I'm interested in what this LSD looks like. I never knew the 4wd Navara's had an LSD and not a locker.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

Ill do piccies of the dismantle as sorta a write up